Gel nail polish - wow
 

I finally got to the nail salon and everyone was talking about how fantastic this new product is. Well, it sure is amazing so far. It is completely dry before you leave the salon. It does cost a bit more, but it is suppose to last 2 to 3 weeks. It feels so good to touch the slick smoothiness (is that a word?) of the polish. The gel is set under uv lights. It goes on just like regular polish. The brand at this shop was gelish, and I've looked at it online and it sure is more expensive than Opi or other brands.
Just thought I'd share this with everyone! I'll let ya know if it holds up to it's promise!

My friend had this done at a salon too and she was very happy with it. She was talking about the price to, but she said also it was well worth it. It lasted at least three weeks, even though she does a lot of work with her hands.

The only concern she had was the UV lights, it could cause cancer.

I have gotten gel manicures several times and am amazed at how well they last. Usually one or more of my dogs ruins my manicure within the first week. They sure tried, but the gel manicure look as good after 21 days as it did on day one. Only had to go back because my nails grew out.

Is this something you have to be "committed" to in the salon? Or can you remove it with polish yourself?

My DDs get the gel polish. They like it a lot says it saves money and time. I don't wear nail polish and if i do it's the clear coat. A manicure at the beauty shop about every six weeks keeps my cuticles and nails in nice shape.

There are many brands of this. I used Shellac and it worked really good too. I was at a surgery center recently for my carpal tunnel and one of the nurses said she had to go into the shop to have her nails removed because they could not have them at work. She got 'Shellac' and her nails were lovely. They are hard as nails, and are not supposed to crack or break. You cannot remove the color with regular polish, it has to be done with special stuff. You can go online and read about it and even buy it from Amazon with the UV lights too. Much cheaper that way.

I think this must be very similar to the gel 'fake nails' I used to get, only maybe not applied as thickly. I really liked them when I was working at an office job. Plus my nail person was also my co-leader for girl scouts and we planned our meetings while I got my nails done!

My daughter had gel polish applied and loved that it lasted so long, but yes, it was very hard to remove when the need was there.

I did the gel nails every two weeks for about a year. My nails looked great. The salon removed the polish using the "dremiel tool". I have seen that it can be soaked off with polish remover. I found my nails got weaker underneath and I felt I had to stop since it was ruining my nails.

I quit getting my nails done as the fabric seems to wear off the polish after the first day or two. A couple of friends are raving about the new Shellac polish so I may get them done again.

Removes with pure acetone. You have to soak in it. Wrap an acetone soaked cotton ball with foil wrapped around the finger tips. It's a pain to remove but the longevity is great.
Sand

I'd be interested ito know if it hides the ridges that I have in my ancient nails. It would be great, too if it helped hold cracked nails from splitting!
MaryKatherine

well let us know and about the shellac too

I used to get gel nails done, sounds similar and did last forever.

This sounds like the Lume`that was on the market years ago. I have the unit yet.

I have very weak, thin, brittle nails. I got the shellac polish for my sons wedding. They were still beautiful after 2 weeks. I am very, very hard on polish. If I do my own I usually ruin them the first day. No chips or wearing off either.

I went and had mine done. It does last but I am also concern about the lightening and also the cost...I did remove my own. You need nail polish remover and wrapped each nail with a cottonball with the nailpoish remover that has acetone in it (mine was not 100 percent acetone) with aulium foil it worked wonders and I did not have to pay someone to remove it. Also since I did it myself I do not have to worry about them taking it off and filing my nail thinner. If you have it done you should remove it yourself.

I had gel polish about 6 months ago and it didn't stag on at all. In fact, it was chipping soon after I arrived home. I wonder what they did wrong? I may have to try it again. Thanks for the positive comments.

I just started getting these nails as well about 4 months ago and I just LOVE them. I have a gel nail manicure and a pedicure about once a month. I have decided that as long as I can afford it I will continue to get them as I enjoy them sooo much. Amazing how it can make you feel....

Thanks for all the information. I have been thinking about this for awhile.

Yes, MaryKatherine, it does hide the ridges. Ask me how I know??? LOL

OK, I have to jump in here. The gel nails should be removed professionally. I had mine done about a year and a half ago for my son's wedding. I got impatient with them growing out, and didn't want to pay to take them off. I pulled them off myself (I used to do that all the time with acrylics), and now I have PERMANENT damage to my nails. They are very rough on top, almost like I used sandpaper on them--and this doesn't grow off. I guess it's because the damage went so deep. And yes, they were a little sore when I pulled them off. So, if you use them, make sure you take them off the right way.

Might want to try another nail place

I tried the gel once. Usually when I get polish on my nails, they start chipping or simply peeling off after 2 - 3 days. I just go in for pedicures, but the last time I was there the gal talked me into trying the gel technique. She promised me it would be tougher and last a lot longer. It did - a whole week. I figure I'm just not meant to have polish on my fingertips.

However, I discovered one product that DOES last a long time and is just about bullet-proof. I was in my supermarket right before Thanksgiving, and on impulse, bought 2 bottles of Essie nail polish. One was a soft pastel pink base, the other a clear polish with large darker pink metallic sparkles. It was sooo pretty, I figured I could just wear it to all the Christmas parties. Let me tell you, that polish was TOUGH! It dried fast and NOTHING chipped it off, and it resisted peeling for almost 3 weeks! I think it was the metallic coat that made it so tough. Took some major work getting it off, too. I had to soak in acetone for a long time. I liked the sparkles, but after a while it felt kind of lady-of-the-night-ish to me, better for parties and special occasions than every-day use. Sure was pretty, though.

I have the new gel nail done and they do not make you finger nails longer they just provide a strong covering on your polish.

This is not the same gel nails I justed to get that made my nails longer that were either filed off electronically or you socked in acetone remover. The acrylic nails are the ones that I found totally wrecked my nails as I had to sock them in acetone and then pop them off along with some my finger nails. .

i used to have the acrylic nails put on. loved them! but after awhile, my nails became so thin and strong it was like having rzor blades for nails and i was always giving myself little nicks, like paper cuts. i haven't had fake nails for about 5 yrs now and my nails are beginning to look like normal nails. i would try this gel polish, but i sure don't want to get back to the razor nails! i had to register my fingers as lethal weapons! lol

I like to do my own because it relaxes me, and I like to experiment with putting two coats of different but compatible colors to see if one shows through and if so, what it turns out to be. It does not last as long as the salon type but I get tired of colors easily and like to change them every few days. I can tell how my past few days are going by how my nails look. Busy few days they look beaten, then I know I need "me time" and should take it easier. while they dry, I get to meditate or pray. Can't do much else with wet nails:)

I apply the gelish myself and really like it. I work in a hospital kitchen and my nails to take a lot of abuse. My polish only last about ten days. I only use the clear because of working in the kitchen.

May I should do this. I'm probably one of a very few that has never had a manicure or pedicure. I planted tulip bulbs today and wore gloves - took them off then pulled up some death plants - and had dirty nails. Between gardening and sewing I'm hard on my nails not to mention golfing.

Whether you get fancy polish or not, a pedicure and a manicure are a special treat. Plan a day for yourself and get your nails done. :o)

I have gelish polish done. They last a long time. The reason I have to have them done is because the nails have gone out. My nails are not damaged and the polish does cover ridges. I was recently in the hospital and the nurses could not remove or even scrape off the polish. I really like the polish.